Career 1 Source News

Two Way Street

In last month’s newsletter, we discussed the differences between “active” and “passive” candidates and how their motivations and attitudes vary. As you will recall, active candidates are coming to you in search of a new position. Passive candidates, on the other hand, are not actively looking but are willing to consider a new opportunity if there is a compelling reason to do so.

The differences between these two candidates necessitate different interview styles. Obviously with both, you want to evaluate skills and capabilities, but with an active candidate you can take a “prove it to me” approach. With passive candidates however, there is more give and take because they will be interviewing you as much as you will them.

Some of the key questions a passive candidate may want you to answer include:

Company. What are the positives associated with working for your company? Where is the organization headed? How does your company differentiate itself in the marketplace? What is the culture like?

Opportunity. What are the positives associated with the position? How do you define success in this role? How would this position help them achieve their long term goals? What is the future career path for someone in this role?

Boss and Team. Who does this position report to? What is their management style? What does the team look like? Where does this position fit within the organizational structure? What are the opportunities above and beyond this initial role?

Any or all of these questions can be fair game during an interview with a talented, passive candidate and your chance of landing them will depend, in large part, on your ability to provide strong answers to those questions posed. The key is preparation. Knowing what makes your company and this particular role attractive to top performers and being able to articulate those positives within the course of a give and take conversation will go a long way towards helping you land the top talent you desire.